It means: a collection of stalls (paradas) in the street where things are sold. They usually sell fruit and vegetables and other foods, as well as clothes or useful household goods (both new and used).

Example 1:Bridget: Where did you get that lamp?Ingrid: It's from London. I got it at the Portobello Road street market.

Today's second word is: Flea market

It means: an outdoor market where second-hand goods are displayed on stalls or on the ground.

Example 2: If you want some original ornaments for your flat, go to Els Encants, Barcelona's famous flea market at Glories.

Wherever you shop this weekend, I hope you find some bargains (gangas)!

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Cultural note: Mall rats is a colloquial expression used in the USA to describe teenagers who use the shopping mall as a place to meet and spend their free time. The 1982 movie, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, starring Sean Penn and Jennifer Jason Leigh, tells the story of a group of Californian mall rats.

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We are getting very close to the time when shops hold summer sales. Therefore, for the next few days we will look at words used to describe different places to shop.

Today's first word is: Chain store

It means: a shop that is located in many different places, with the same products in every one. Chain stores are often dedicated to one type of product (e.g., fashion, home entertainment, etc.).

Example 1:Jack: Did you get your sofa from Ikea?Janet: No, I don't like shopping in chain stores.I try to support the local, independent traders.

Today's second word is: Department store

It means: a large shop on several floors which sells most of the things you use in everyday life. It is usually independent or part of a group, and sells products sourced from a wide variety of manufacturers.

Example 2:Ron: Where are you doing your Christmas shopping this year?Francis: Well, I need a scarf, a glass bowl, books, some chocolates and roller skates.... I think I'll go to Harrods and get it all under the same roof.Ron: You'll save time shopping in a department store like Harrods, but I don't think you'll save money!

Tomorrow we will look at more vocabulary for shopping places. Please post any questions about this expression in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website. If you have any questions about how to use the Daily Vitamin Plus! section or would like to receive a Daily Vitamin Plus! manual, please contact us.

Today we are going to look at a "false friend" that often causes problems for students.

Which of the following sentences is correct?

i) Vicente dominates English. He sounds like a native speaker! ii) Vicente has an excellent command of English. He sounds like a native speaker!

The Spanish verb dominar does not usually translate as dominate, unless you mean to rule. Dominar more commonly translates as to have a good command or knowledge of something. Therefore, the correct answer is (ii).

Example 1:All the airport staff have a good command of at least three European languages.

Example 2:Applicants for the position of senior secretary must have an excellent command of Microsoft Office, and some knowledge of computer programming.

NOTE: we always use the indefinite article, a or an in this expression.

Hopefully, if you keep reading the Daily Vitamins, they will help you to achieve a good command of English.

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Example 1:Speaker 1: I hear there's a new sales target for this department.Speaker 2: Yes, as soon as we get close to our target, they give us a higher one; they keep moving the goalposts.

Example 2:Speaker 1: John was told he needed basic computer skills when he applied for the job, but then at the interview they said he needed to know how to use accounting software and build web pages.Speaker 2: That's not fair! They've moved the goalposts!

Please post any questions about this expression in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website. If you have any questions about how to use the Daily Vitamin Plus! section or would like to receive a Daily Vitamin Plus! manual, please contact us.